"Enslaved" - BBC

[DGRossetti]

Sobering and upsetting documentary about the trans Atlantic slave trade.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000ngdy/enslaved-with-samuel-l-jackson-series-1-1-a-people-stolen

I saw an advert for this today I think- is this the one with Samuel L Jackson?

Watched the first two episodes so far (I think there’s more to come?), very moving and well made documentary.

Yes, it's really good. Is the next one on tomorrow? Must check.

Yes. BBC2 tomorrow night.

Only watched the first episode and I thought it was quite American. I'd rather have my history without a side helping of modern emotion. Afua Hirsch was excellent as always and I'd highly recommend her African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power series which is still on iplayer. And Black and British by the wonderful David Olusoga (also on iplayer but there's also a book version for adults and a book version for secondary age kids).

I wanted to enjoy it but it seemed to be Americanised

It wasn't like a decent bbc4 documentary

'Enjoyed' watching this point of view; it is often forgotten that many people didn't even make it to their destinations; although saved from a much slower traumatic death as slaves.
I'd never really thought about the ships that didn't make it, and how many people went down with them. When you think how many hundreds of years this 'trade' was going on for, the numbers are mind-boggling.
I also hadn't realised how many people had been sourced from the Gabon area.
Ah well, what a year!

Being an adopted Brummie, and feeling some responsibility, even if vicariously, I was upset to hear that "manillas" were made here.

Not something we seem to have made much of an effort to educate people about.

Yes, I thought it was interesting that manillas were initially described onthe show as 'primitive currency' then we discovered they were made in the UK to buy slaves. Also, I'm sure we all learnt about trading with glass beads when the British met 'natives'. Puts a rather different slant on it to know glass beads were traded for slaves.

The English History curiculum really needs to be less 'we stood up to Hitler and Henry had 6 wifes' and our role in the slave trade and the world wide impact of the Empire really need to be covered more (no criticism of teachers there, just the influence of politicians on the curriculum).

Thank goodness there's education at your fingers, if you choose to learn.

usslave.blogspot.com/2012/03/manila-african-money-of-slave-trade.html